Custom Printing
The ability to stand out from the crowd, gain recognition, and be known is an essential one in many facets of life. It seems as though everywhere we look sets of standardized template designs pervade our very existence. Everything from flyers, brochures, letterheads, logos, T-shirts, websites, and many more eye catching gimmicks seems to come from one of many similar sources. Uniqueness seems to be an antiquated concept. However the ability to have a design completely custom tailored to the fit the exact needs and specifications of any given purpose, for a business, or even for a musical group, are vital to generating exposure.
Eye catching printed material, or even printed apparel, such as screen printed T-shirt designs with a company logo is a great way to gain exposure from the masses. However, the publications and apparel designs must bring something to the table which will draw attention. A plain, boring, standardized concept will turn heads the other direction. A new and creative conceptual design brings forward the possibility for maximum exposure. Passersby will stop dead in their tracks to gawk at the material and keep the company and/or band name in mind. Such simple conceptual designs are not only thought up by professionals. In fact, an average person can easily create a work of great attention grabbing beauty when put to it. The possibilities are limitless for where and how exposure through custom printing can occur. Everything from custom websites, custom T-shirts, custom letterheads, custom brochures, custom flyers, and even custom logos (just to name a few) can be created and mass produced. With web hosting for only pennies a day, the internet has become the new vehicle for exposure.
With billions of websites, and millions more being added each day, the internet has become the worldwide marketplace for the free exchange of ideas and concepts. With web hosting services for just pennies a day, and a great wealth of tools for graphics and web design work, creating a custom logo, and/or website is well within the scope. With a wealth of design techniques, and limitless possibilities for graphics and presentation, the internet is the best places to create a custom publication of any sort. In conjunction with a strong campaign to attract the attention of the less technologically savvy, success is at the fingertips of the daring entrepreneur who decides to break away from the humdrum and overused designs.
Custom prints can be created at varieties of locations, from you local office supply store(s), to your own living room. The conceptual design is best left to professionals for reproduction. A few suggestions might be Office Depot, Staples, or Kinko’s to start. Many different companies can help create a custom and attractive website as well. Although this is something that can be done from one’s own living room, some of the technical and backend aspects are much better left to certified professionals. Clearly the possibilities are limitless when it comes to custom printing, simply begging the question, “Why doesn’t everyone do this?”
Our Printing Directory is dedicated to the printing industry. Find more information and other printing topics on our Custom Printing resource page.
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Printing - How Do I Buy It
Why should I care where I get my printed material from, I’ll just go for tenders and go with the low bidder. If you do this probably you won’t be in business for long or you’ll never really run a successful business. My company, Solutions Ink started from the premise that I don’t just sell printed products but rather I help businesses grow and prosper.
Being in the business for over 20 years I’ve seen how the industry and the market have changed. Gone are the days you could charge what you want and deliver any quality good’s. With global competition so great, the product must be perfect and your price must be competitive just for you to survive. That being said what should I look for in a printing company. First you should explain what you do and how you do it,to your printer. It is his job with his expertise to decide what product he should offer you. Today there are offset presses, digital presses, web presses and each one is appropriate for a different type of job.
Digital presses today have greatly improved their quality and are great for short runs (under 1000 quantity), variable data (inserting names into each letter), large format small quantity jobs (point of purchases, banners, posters, small direct mail jobs). Turnaround is key and digital jobs usually can be done in days if not hours.
Offset presses are good for jobs of greater than 1000 t’ill about 100,000 or if the absolute quality is essential for the job (brochures, fashion catalogues, price lists, letterheads, business cards, envelopes). These type of jobs usually takes days or a week or two, depending on the complexity of the job.
Web presses are great for large runs of magazines, newspaper flyers or large run business forms.
Suggestions by your printer should help your business grow. He should help in deciding paper stocks, colors, finishings and offer you different price options. New technology can save company’s great amounts of time by offering e-commerce ordering and proofing systems. New technology allows form/card combinations, form/label combinations and form/magnet combinations. These reduce the need to print 2 pieces. This can also cut your mailing costs. The idea is for your printer to help you market your business so that you can become more successful. Penny pinching on costs can be short sighted. For true long term growth you have to work in partnership with your printer so that both of you benefit. If you have only one winner, chances are you’ll be searching out a new partner pretty soon.
Steven Schneidman has an M.B.A., worked for a large bank, was a Finance Professor at University and has owned 2 Printing and Promotional Product companies.
If you need any help deciding what you should do for your next printing job drop me an email at steve@solutionsink4u.com or visit my website at www.solutionink4u.com.